Luke 1
1 SINCE many have attempted to compose a narrative of facts, confirmed to us by the fullest evidence:
My noble [friend] Theophilus, many people saw the things that [Jesus] did while he was with us, from the time when he started [MTY] [his ministry]. They served God [by teaching people] the message [about the Lord Jesus]. Many of those who heard what they taught wrote down for us accounts of the things that [Jesus did from the time when] he began [his ministry].
2 exactly as they delivered them to us, who were eve witnesses from the first, and ministers of the word;
3 it seemed right to me also, having obtained accurate knowledge of all things from above, to write to thee in regular order, most excellent Theophilus,
I myself have studied these accounts carefully. So I decided that it would be good for me also to write for you [(sg)] an accurate account of these matters.
4 to the intent that thou mayest clearly know the certainty of those matters, concerning which thou hast been instructed.
I want you to know the truth about what you have been taught {what others have taught you}.
5 There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abiah: and his wife of the daughters of Aaron, and her name Elisabeth.
When King Herod [the Great ruled] Judea [district], there was a [Jewish] priest named Zechariah. He belonged to the [group of priests called] the Abijah group. He and his wife Elizabeth were both descended from the [first priest of Israel], Aaron.
6 And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.
[God considered that] both of them were righteous, because they constantly completely obeyed everything that God had commanded.
7 And they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were far advanced in years.
But they had no children, because Elizabeth had been unable to bear children. Furthermore, she and her husband were very old.
8 And it came to pass, as he discharged his priestly office in the order of his periodical ministration before God,
One day [Zechariah’s] group was doing their work [in the Temple in Jerusalem], and he was serving as a priest in God’s presence.
9 according to the custom of the priesthood, it fell to his lot to burn the incense when he went into the temple of the Lord.
Following their custom, [the other priests] chose him by lot to enter the Lord’s temple and burn incense.
10 And all the multitude of people was praying without, at the time of the burning the incense.
While he was burning the incense, many people were outside [in the courtyard], praying.
11 And an angel of the Lord appeared to him standing on the right side of the altar of incense.
Then an angel whom God had [sent] appeared to him. The angel was standing at the right side of the place [where the priests burned] incense.
12 And Zacharias was agitated greatly at the sight, and fear fell upon him.
When Zechariah saw the angel, he was startled and became very afraid.
13 But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bring thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.
But the angel said to him, “Zechariah, do not be afraid! When you [(sg)] prayed [asking God for a son] (OR, [that God would send the Messiah]), God heard what you prayed. [So] your wife Elizabeth shall bear a son. You must name him John.
14 And it shall give thee joy and exultation; and many shall rejoice at his birth:
He will cause you to be very happy, and many other people will also be happy because he is born.
15 for he shall be great in the sight of the Lord; and he shall never drink wine, nor any intoxicating liquor; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother’s womb.
God will consider him to be very important. He must never drink wine or any other alcoholic drink, [in order that he will be completely dedicated to God]. He will be controlled by the Holy Spirit {The Holy Spirit will control him} from before he is born.
16 And many of the children of Israel shall he turn unto the Lord, their God.
He will [persuade] many people in Israel to turn away [from their sins and please] the Lord their God.
17 And he shall go forth before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to convert the hearts of fathers with their children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to prepare a people ready for the Lord.
As [God’s] Spirit enables him [to preach] powerfully as [the prophet] Elijah did, he will precede [the Messiah]. He will cause parents [SYN] to act [peacefully] toward their children [again]. He will cause [many] people who do not obey [God to hear and obey] the wise things that righteous people [tell them]. He will do this in order to help [many] people to be ready when the Lord [comes].”
18 And Zacharias said to the angel, By what shall I know this? for I am old, and my wife far advanced in her age.
Then Zechariah said to the angel, “I am very old, and my wife is also so old [that she cannot bear a child. So] (I cannot [believe] that what you [(sg)] said [will happen]!/how can I [believe] that what you [(sg)] said [will happen]?) [RHQ]”
19 And the angel answering said to him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and I have been sent to speak to thee, and to proclaim these glad tidings to thee.
Then the angel said to him, “I am [God’s chief angel], Gabriel! [I do what God tells me, because] I constantly am in God’s presence! I was sent {[He] sent me} to tell you [(sg)] something good [that is going to happen to you].
20 And behold, thou shalt be dumb, and unable to speak, until that day when these things shall come to pass, because thou hast not believed my words, which shall be fulfilled at their exact time.
What I have told you will certainly happen at the time [God decides], but you did not believe what I told you. So now [God will make] you will be unable to talk until the day [your son is born]”!
21 And the people were waiting for Zacharias, and marvelled that he tarried so long in the temple.
While [Zechariah and the angel] were talking, the people [in the courtyard] were waiting for Zechariah [to come out]. They wondered, “Why is he staying in the Temple for such a long time?”
22 And when he came out, he could not speak to them: and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple: for he himself made signs to them, and continued deaf and dumb.
When Zechariah came out, he was not able to speak to the people. Because he could not talk, he made motions with his hands [to try to convey what had happened]. Then they realized that he had seen (a vision [from God]/something that [God] showed him) while he was in the Temple.
23 And it came to pass, when the days of his ministry were fulfilled, he went to his own house.
When Zechariah’s time to work [as a priest in the Temple] was finished, he [left Jerusalem and] returned to his home.
24 And after those days Elisabeth his wife conceived, and kept herself in retirement five months, saying,
Some time later his wife Elizabeth became pregnant [EUP]. She did not leave their house for five months, [because she knew that people would laugh at her if she told them that she was pregnant].
25 Thus hath the Lord dealt with me in the days in which he looked upon me to take away my reproach among men.
But she thought, “God has enabled me to become pregnant. He has pitied me and I will no longer be ashamed [because I have no children]!”
26 Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God into a city of Galilee, the name of which was Nazareth,
When Elizabeth had been [pregnant] [EUP] [for almost] six months, the angel Gabriel was sent by God {God sent the angel Gabriel} [again].
27 to a virgin of the house of David, betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph; and the virgin’s name was Mary.
[This time] he went to Nazareth [town] in Galilee [district], to a virgin whose name was Mary. It had been {[Her parents] had} promised that she would marry a man named Joseph, who was descended from [King] David.
28 And the angel coming in to her said, All hail! O thou highly favoured one! the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.
The angel greeted her and said, “(The Lord/God) is with you [(sg)] and you will be greatly blessed {[has decided to] greatly bless you}!”
29 And when she saw him, she was greatly agitated at his address: and reasoned in herself what kind of salutation this could be.
But Mary was very confused [when she heard] that. She wondered what [the angel meant] by these words.
30 And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found favour with God.
Then the angel said to her, “Mary, God is very pleased with you [(sg)], so do not be afraid.
31 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS.
You will become pregnant and bear a son, and you must name him Jesus.
32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father;
He will become great. He will be called {[People will] call him} (the Son of God/the man who is also God). God, the Lord, will make him a king [MTY] as his ancestor [King] David was.
33 and he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever, and of his kingdom there shall be no end. (aiōn g165)
He will be the King of [the] Jews, the descendants [MTY] of [your ancestor] Jacob, forever. He will rule as king forever!” (aiōn g165)
34 And Mary said, How shall this be, seeing I know not man?
Then Mary said to the angel, “I am a virgin, so how can I [have a baby]?”
35 And the angel answering said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Most High shall overshadow thee; wherefore also the Holy One that shall be born of thee, shall be called the Son of God.
The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come to you; the power of God [MTY/EUP] will overshadow you [and enable you to become pregnant]. So the child [you will] bear will be completely set apart {give himself completely} to obey God, and he will be called {[people] will say that he is} (the Son of God/the man who is also God).
36 And, behold, Elisabeth thy cousin, she also hath conceived in her old age: and this is the fifth month of pregnancy with her who was called barren.
[I also need to tell you something else]. Your cousin Elizabeth is very old, and it was thought {[people] said} that she could not bear any children. But she has been [pregnant] [EUP] [for almost] six months, and will bear a son!
37 For there is nothing impossible with God.
[You should not be surprised at that], because God can do everything!”
38 Then said Mary, Behold a servant of the Lord, be it to me according to thy declaration. And the angel departed from her.
Then Mary said, “All right, I want to serve (the Lord/God), so may what you [(sg)] have said about me come true!” Then the angel left her.
39 Then Mary arose in those days, and went with haste into the hill country, to a city of Judah,
Very soon after that, Mary got ready and went quickly to a town in the highlands of Judea [district] where Zechariah lived.
40 and entered into the house of Zachariah, and saluted Elisabeth.
She entered his house and greeted [his wife] Elizabeth.
41 And it came to pass, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped for joy in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost:
As soon as Elizabeth heard Mary greet her, the baby moved inside [Elizabeth’s] womb. The Holy Spirit took complete control of Elizabeth,
42 and she exclaimed with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.
and she said loudly [to Mary], “[God] has blessed you [more than] he has blessed [any other] woman, and [he has] blessed the child you will bear!
43 And whence is this favour shewn me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
(I am not worthy that [God would allow you] to visit me!/Why is [God allowing you] to visit me?) [RHQ] You will be the mother of my Lord!
44 For, lo! as the voice of thy salutation reached my ears, the babe leaped for joy in my womb.
[I realize this because] as soon as I heard you greet me, the baby inside my womb moved because he was so happy [that you had come].
45 And blessed is she that hath believed; for there shall be a fulfilment of the things told her from the Lord.
[God] is pleased with you [because] you believed that what (the Lord/God) told you would come true.”
46 And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord,
Then Mary [praised God by] saying/singing: “, how I [SYN] praise (the Lord/God)!
47 and my spirit hath exulted in God my Saviour:
I am happy because God is the one who saves me.
48 for he hath looked upon the lowly state of his maid-servant: for, lo! henceforth shall all generations pronounce me blessed.
I was only his lowly servant girl, but he did not forget me. So from now on, everyone will say that God was pleased with me,
49 For the Mighty One hath done great things for me; and holy is his name.
because they will hear about the things that God [MTY], the mighty one, has done for me. He [MTY] is awesome!
50 And his mercy is upon those who fear him, from generation to generation.
He acts mercifully toward all those who respect him.
51 He hath displayed strength from his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
He shows people that he [MTY] is very powerful. He scatters those who think proudly.
52 He hath cast down potentates from the throne, and hath exalted the lowly.
He does not let mighty kings rule [MTY] any more, but he honors people who are oppressed (OR, humble).
53 He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away.
He gives good things to eat to those who are hungry, but he sends away the rich people without giving them anything.
And now he has remembered what he promised. So he has helped me and all the other people of [MTY] Israel who serve him.
55 as he had spoken to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed.
He promised to Abraham and all our other ancestors who descended from him that he would act mercifully toward them forever.” (aiōn g165)
56 And Mary abode with her about three months, and returned unto her home.
Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months. Then she returned to her home.
57 Now Elisabeth’s time was up that she should be delivered; and she brought a son.
When it was time for Elizabeth to give birth to her child, she bore a son.
58 And her neighbours and her relations heard, that the Lord had magnified his mercy upon her; and they congratulated her.
Her neighbors and relatives heard how (the Lord/God) had greatly blessed her [by enabling her to bear a child], so they were happy along with [Elizabeth].
59 And it came to pass, on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child; and they called him after the name of his father, Zacharias.
Seven days later they gathered together for the [ceremony for] circumcising the baby [to show that he belonged to God]. They wanted to give the baby the same name as his father, Zechariah.
60 And his mother spake and said, No; but he shall be called John.
But his mother said, “No, [his name will not be Zechariah]. His name will be John!”
61 And they said to her, There is not one among thy relations, who is called by this name.
[So] they said to her, “[John] is not the name of any of your [(dl)] relatives, [so you(dl) should not give him that name]!”
62 And they made signs to his father, what he would have him called.
Then they made motions with their hands to Zechariah, [for him] to indicate what name [he] wanted to be given {to give} to his son.
63 And desiring a writing tablet, he wrote, saying, John is his name. And they were all surprised.
[So] he signaled that they [should give him] a tablet [to write on. When they gave him one], he wrote [on it], “His name is John.” All those [who were there] were surprised!
64 Instantly then his mouth was opened, and his tongue loosed, and he burst out in praises to God.
Immediately Zechariah was able to speak again [MTY], and he praised God.
65 And great awe fell on all those who dwelt around them: and in all the mountainous country of Judea, all these circumstances were the subject of conversation.
All their neighbors were amazed/awestruck! They told other people who lived all over the highlands of Judea about what had happened.
66 And all who heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, Well! what a child will this be! And the hand of the Lord was with him.
Everyone who heard about it kept thinking about it. They were saying, “We wonder what will this child do [for God when] he [grows up] [RHQ]!” They wondered that because [from what had happened they were sure that] God would be helping that child [SYN] [in a powerful way].
67 And Zacharias his father was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying,
[After] Zechariah’s [son was born], Zechariah was completely directed by the Holy Spirit {the Holy Spirit completely directed Zechariah} as he spoke these words that came from God:
68 Blessed be the Lord the God of Israel; for he hath visited and wrought redemption for his people;
“Praise the Lord, the God whom we(inc) people of Israel worship, because he has come to set us, his people, free from our enemies.
69 and hath raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David:
He is sending us someone who will powerfully [MTY] save us, someone who is descended from [MTY] King David, who served God well.
Long ago God caused his prophets to say that he would do that. (aiōn g165)
71 even preservation from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us;
He will rescue us from our enemies, and he will save us from the power of all those who hate us.
72 to perform mercy towards our fathers, and to remember his own holy covenant:
He will do this because he has not forgotten what he promised our ancestors; he made an agreement that he would act mercifully to us, their descendants.
73 the oath which he sware to Abraham our father,
That is what he strongly promised our ancestor Abraham that he would do.
74 to give us, that we, secure from fear, rescued from the hands of our enemies, should serve him,
God told him that we would be rescued {he would rescue us} from the power of our enemies, that he would enable us to serve him without being afraid,
75 in righteousness and holiness before him, all the days of our life.
that he would cause us to be completely dedicated to him, and enable us to live righteously all of our lives.”
76 And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Most High; for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways;
[Then Zechariah said this to] his little son: “My child, you will be called {people will say that you are} a prophet whom God [MTY/EUP] has sent; you will begin your work before (the Lord/Messiah) comes; you will prepare people so that they will be ready for him. (OR, you will begin your work before the Messiah comes).
77 to give the knowledge of salvation to his people, by the remission of their sins,
You will tell God’s people how he will forgive them and save them from being punished for their sins.
78 through the bowels of mercy of our God; with which he hath visited us, as the dawn of the morning from on high,
Our God will do that because he is very kind to us. Just like a new day begins when the sun rises [MET], God will do that new thing for us when the Messiah comes to us from heaven.
79 to illumine those who sat in darkness, and in the shadow of death, to direct our feet into the way of peace.
People who do not know God [MET] are like those who sit in the darkness. They are afraid [MTY] that they will soon die. But when the Messiah tells us God’s message, it will be like causing such people to see a bright light. He will guide us [SYN] so that we will be living peacefully.”
80 And the child grew, and became mighty in spirit, and was in the deserts until the days of his public exhibition to Israel.
[Later], Zechariah’s son grew up and became spiritually strong. Then he lived in a desolate region until he began to preach to the Israeli people.
